Re-inventing left-overs - don't get bored of your food

Jem

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So I thought I would start a thread talking about what you can do with left-overs. I am finding myself making batches of food to be more budget friendly during this pandemic, but sometimes, eating the same thing, in the same way, can get boring.
Things like making a stir fry with left-over meat is pretty obvious, but what other left-over meal ideas do you have?

One that I like uses left over mashed potatoes.

Take your mashed potatoes and mix in some shredded cheddar cheese.
Then form them into balls - size doesn't really matter too much...it only changes how long they'll take to heat up.
Then roll your potato balls in a crushed corn flakes (or crackers, or bread crumbs...what ever coating you like) with a little melted butter mix....the butter is optional...I just like the extra crispiness and flavor it adds.
Then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and bake at 350 to 400, until they are warmed up and crunchy. About 20-30 minutes I think...I've never timed it exactly...It depends on how big you make them.
I know my "recipe" is not exact, because it's something I've always just "thrown together" so oven temp and time has always varied. But it's not something you can screw up too bad...just keep an eye on them.

Something else that's really tasty, is making a toasted meatloaf sandwich with cheese.and sliced tomatoes. I like to use mustard as my condiment.

I'd love to hear some of your ideas!!!
 

catapault

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There are entire cookbooks on this specific topic. I have three "vintage" ones.

Ceil Dyer wrote The Plan-Ahead Cookbook with the subtitle 300 Delectable Ways to Use Leftovers. She has sections for meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, potatoes, rice, pasta and beans, and fruit.

My favorite is Michael Field's Culinary Classics & Improvisations which has you deliberately cooking to have leftovers. A classic pot-au-feu has four "leftover" meal options. Classic roast fresh ham or pork shoulder has eight. Now, in these days of sequester at home no one is cooking a whole ham - after all, the classic definition of eternity is two people and a ham. But as an example, when I got the boneless pork spareribs I only cooked enough for one meal for the two of us. No reason I could not have cooked more, deliberately planning to have leftovers. Back to the book - there's a section on stuffed vegetables with options for stuffing cabbage leaves, grape leaves, eggplant, onions, and more.

James Beard and Sam Aaron's How to Eat Better for Less Money is more general but includes a reasonable number of what to do with leftovers recipes..

P.S. Edited to add - these days when your local library is not an option, if you want to get one of these books look online on ABE Books. Multiple vendors both USA and abroad, always a range of prices, I've had good service from the ones I ordered from, and the book(s) mailed straight to your home.
 
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lizzie

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I love having leftover mashed potatoes around!Another thing you can do with them is potato salad.Add to them whatever you like in a potato salad...onion,celery,pickle relish,chopped hard boiled egg,celery seed,salt and pepper and mayo.I also add them to my bread when I bake bread.I have a friend that uses them to make her potato soup!I think she cooks up some bacon and onions and celery,adds in the mashed potatoes and some fat free half and half and some milk.I fixed a big pot roast the other day and have quite a bit left,so tomorrow I'm going to simmer it in a little beef broth,add some bbq sauce and have bbq beef sandwiches with some cole slaw.
 

catapault

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lizzie lizzie The pot roast can also be chopped rather fine and become hash (together with the left over potatoes) or cut into smallish cubes, add cooked carrot, green peas, some onion, mushrooms if you have them, and now you have a pot pie (with mashed potato crust)
 

lizzie

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lizzie lizzie The pot roast can also be chopped rather fine and become hash (together with the left over potatoes) or cut into smallish cubes, add cooked carrot, green peas, some onion, mushrooms if you have them, and now you have a pot pie (with mashed potato crust)
Oh I love "roast beef hash" and have made it many times over the years.Today was a bread making day,and I also made a batch of hamburger buns,which is where I got the idea for the bbq beef,and 2 pans of dinner rolls...one for us and one for the neighbor.I may have enough left for a small pot of veggie beef soup too...hadn't thought of that til now.Thank you !
 

Winchester

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Leftover roast beef
  • Cornish pasties or gyros
  • Throw into a salad for some extra protein
  • Hash
  • Soups: beef and noodle or rice, beef and mushroom
  • Quick stir-fry
Leftover roast chicken
  • Chicken pie
  • Soups: chicken and noodle soup, corn soup with rivels
  • BBQ chicken pizza
  • Throw into a salad for some extra protein
  • Chicken and apple quesadillas
  • Creamed chicken over waffles
  • Quick chicken enchiladas
  • Quick stir-fry
Leftover ham
  • Ham salad
  • Ham and green beans,
  • Scalloped potatoes with ham
  • Soups: split pea soup, ham and bean soup
  • Ham and cheese calzones
  • Ham and pineapple pizza
Leftover pork
  • Quick sweet and sour pork over fried brown rice
  • Chop Suey
  • Chow mein
  • Shepherd's pie (also uses up leftover mashed potatoes
These are ways that I tend to use up leftover meats around here. I'm sure there are tons of other ideas out there!
 
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